Saracens get back in the old routine
SARACENS returned to winning ways after their travails in Europe but won’t be entirely happy with this comfortable enough win over a youthful Gloucester side in which one or two exceptional talents shone brightly.
A lighting quick first half hat-trick from Tom Parton in 20 minutes – the quickest ever at the start of a Premiership match – set Saracens on their way and they were never in danger of being caught but, after the break and particularly in the final quarter, Gloucester landed a few punches of their own which will please coach George Skivington.
Gloucester’s season now totally revolves around their Challenge Cup semi-final with Benetton a week on Saturday and to that end key players are being rested and a raft of younger players were given their heads yesterday.
None did better than Josh Hathaway who in fairness can already be classified as a regular. Hathaway stole in for a second-half hat-trick in just 13 minutes and is a name to note. To these eyes he is every bit as fast as Louis Rees-Zammit and Jonny May in his pomp and he shares that duo’s try scoring nous and appetite.
If you are looking for a bolter for one of the summer tours put your money on the Gloucester man who is dual qualified for Wales and England – he played U20 rugby for both nations. Don’t be surprised if he is on a plane to either New Zealand with England or Australia with Wales. The smart money is on the former.
As for Saracens they will be pleased – relieved even – with the precision and pace of the first hour or so when they looked a very different side to the one that succumbed at Bordeaux last time out.
Up front, Tom Willis is really bringing something to proceedings and enjoyed an outstanding stint before being replaced while, apart from one loose pass and a handful of missed conversions in a tricky wind that will annoy him, Owen Farrell looked in very good nick after returning from injury.
Farrell produced one of the moments of the game early in the second half when he spotted Theo McFarland on the right wing and found him with a nigh on perfect kick for the former Samoan basketball international to leap high and score a memorable try.
The deserving Willis, who had a first-half try disallowed after Ben Earl was harshly adjudicated to have knocked on in the build-up, crashed over shortly afterwards before departing and at that stage a cricket score was indicated.
Gloucester though began to really dig in and good hands on halfway followed by a wondrous chip ahead by replacement hooker Seb Blake sent Hathaway racing in for his first try.
Saracens put the game out of sight with further tries by replacement Olly Hartley and centre Lucio Cinti but for the last 15 minutes it was all Gloucester with that man Hathaway sprinting in for two more tries, one a very well taken effort and the other after he intercepted an over ambitious pass.
From nowhere Gloucester suddenly had a try bonus to shoot for and duly delivered when Blake, another younger player to shine, went in under the post with the clock in the red.